The art of not reading is a very important one. [.. .] [Y]ou should remember that he who writes for fools always find a large public. — A precondition for reading good books is not reading bad ones: For life is short.

Arthur Schopenhauer
About This Quote

The art of not reading is a very important one is a quote often attributed to Oscar Wilde. It is also attributed to Irish writer Robert Graves. It has also been attributed to George Bernard Shaw, but the quote is most commonly associated with Wilde. The quote is meant to be understood in the context of Wilde’s career.

Wilde became successful with his plays despite the fact that he was not heavily published before (he self-published most of his work). He eventually developed a large following by writing for the masses, even though he wrote in the style of witty, intelligent dialogue meant for an audience of intellectuals. Not reading bad books can help you avoid falling into bad habits when it comes to how you perceive the world (and the people in it).

This quote also helps when considering when to read something new. If you still haven’t read something after several years, chances are you’re not going to. If you read something and hate it, chances are good that you will never want to reread it again (unless you’re really serious about it).

So why read something you hate? You should read only those things that you know enjoy.

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